Dear Younger Self

Dear Younger Self,

As you have probably already discovered, music can be very healing. No you are not still playing the cello, but you took up the piano again as an adult and play it every other day, and also the days when you need a little extra comfort. Yes, music is still intertwined with your identity (and actually your profession too...exciting stuff to come, lil' me!).

But there are a few times I wish I found a certain album or song sooner than I did (should I be saying “we?” Still getting used to this…). There are a few times that I wish I found my emotions expressed in music after I had the inability to find the words myself; those songs are a “diamond in the rough” to collect.

Here are some of those songs. They will give you comfort, creativity, passion, and dreams. Because fortunately, you still have big ones.

Will you like them all? Yes and no.

Some styles you’ll have to grow into.

In some cases, these will take years (decades?) until they come out. My apologies in advance for your waiting on them.

Joni Mitchell and the Definitive College Years

The beginning of college was a whirlwind…to say the least. Good and bad. Two extremities. Rarely anything in the middle, and when it was, it would in fact be the eye of the storm. If you thought the dramatics would end in college, boy were you wrong. Joni Mitchell’s music grounds you during this time.

You listen to her while sitting in a coffee shop with your new best friend, both writing essays, you listen to her while you’re heartbroken, you listen to her while you’re feeling hopeful, you listen to her, most importantly, when you have to make time for a break. Something you’ve had to do in the past, but without the comfort of your family. Joni Mitchell fills this silence, this discomfort.

I suggest starting with “Both Sides Now,” “Morning Morgantown,” “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Sweet Bird,” and “A Case of You.” All serve a different purpose, all perfect in their own right.

Taylor Swift and Your Bad Bit*h Era

Embrace her and embrace everything you love (even if it's not "cool"). The boys in your class will say she only sings songs about her ex-boyfriends but this is whittling music down to its simplest form. That’s both easy and frankly a few of those "popular" kids turn out to be misogynistic (sorry, big word…in an easy definition it basically means someone who tries to maintain the social roles of a patriarchy; aka someone who wants men to be superior to women. I unfortunately know this isn’t bursting your bubble and you already know this exists, now you just have a fancy word for it).

But getting to the point, you re-found Taylor Swift when you wanted some songs with a different energy than you're used to. This coincidentally lined up with Reputation. Listen to “I Did Something Bad” and “Getaway Car.” “New Year’s Day” will perhaps make you a little too depressed, especially with your extreme FOMO surrounding the holiday, so don't have this one on repeat.

To be honest, it wasn’t necessarily Reputation that pulled you back in as much as it was her album Evermore (this album is very up your/our ally). This album also gets you through a lot but more on that time next…

If there's anything to take away from this music, it's to not let others dictate your taste. I know you don't/try not to, but it's always a good reminder.

Jordan Mackampa and COVID

I'm going to back track a little here; I don’t want to tell you anything about this time because of your extreme health anxiety and I would love you to ride out the bliss for as long as you can. Not telling you exactly what happened while also mentioning that something is going on in the world will definitely also make you anxious…but I’ll choose the lesser of two evils. Needless to say, you and millions of others turned to music.

A new artist you found during this time was Jordan Mackampa. The soulfulness of his music matched with lyricism and unique energy was something that filled you with creativity; something you momentarily lost. There are also heartbreakingly beautiful songs about family, loss, and love. I’ll give you the happier ones to start. You’ll hold onto these for a while, especially when all you really want is a smile on your face; “Magic,” “Love at First Sight,” “Yours to Keep,” and “Over and Out.” Many of these are also on your “Mornings” playlist that helps you brighten your mood prior to 10AM (you’re still a night owl and dread waking up early. It doesn’t get much easier, it’s who you are).

I also can’t go without mentioning another song on this morning playlist, “Live Your Life” by Nick Cordero. What a wonderful talent gone too soon.

Your Favorite Singer-Songwriters

You’ll get to find soon enough that your favorite genre happens to be from people who write their own songs, the singer-songwriter genre...which is controversial in whether or not it should be considered a “genre” in the first place but if you want me to be more specific you love folksy, raw, pop-esque, truthful, and fun/sad music. It's a big hodgepodge of things that is really difficult to explain but you’ll know exactly what it is when you find it.

Some of these singer-songwriters are Ed Sheeran (yes, he’s still releasing albums as mathematical symbols), Lizzy McAlpine, Maisie Peters, Noah Kahan, Gracie Abrams, Hozier, Jensen McRae, TOLEDO, Sara Kinsley, Laufey, Peter McPoland, and many more.

Also, please buy tickets to Harry Styles’ Live on Tour in 2017. You’ll regret not going. Oh, and I’m popping Billy Joel’s “Vienna” in the mix, thank me later.

This should be a good start, so I’ll leave the rest to you; you’ll figure it out, I promise.

Love,

Older you

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Below is a playlist for the songs mentioned and a few more. Unfortunately, Joni Mitchell is not on Spotify so her music isn't included but here are the above songs on YouTube; “Both Sides Now,” “Morning Morgantown,” “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Sweet Bird,” and “A Case of You.”